Transfer of indoxacarb among workers of Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): effects of dose, donor:recipient ratio and post-exposure time

• Published in: Pest management science Vol. 61; no. 12; pp. 1209 - 1214
• Main Authors: Hu, X.P, Song, D, Scherer, C.W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.12.2005; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Animals; application rate; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical control; Control; Coptotermes formosanus; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Formosan subterranean termite; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; horizontal transmission; hortizontal transmission; indoxacarb; insecticide residues; insecticide transmission; Insecticides - administration & dosage; Isoptera; mortality; Oxazines - administration & dosage; Pesticides; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Protozoa. Invertebrates; Social Behavior; termite control; Termites; worker insects; Alabama; Coptotermes fonnosanus; Insecticide; Insecta; Coptotermes formosanus; Isoptera; Pesticides; Formosan subterranean termite; Termite; termite control; Pest; Arthropoda; horizontal transmission; Chemical control; Rhinotermitidae; Exposure time; Invertebrata; indoxacarb; Worker insect
• ISSN: 1526-498X; 1526-4998
• DOI: 10.1002/ps.1124

Horizontal transfer of indoxacarb among workers of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, was examined under laboratory conditions. The effects of dose (0, 10, 20, 50, 100 or 200 ng AI per donor), donor:recipient ratio (1:1, 1:4 or 1:9) and post-exposure time (2, 4, 8, 16, 20 and 24 days) on lethal transfer of indoxacarb were investigated using a donor/recipient model in groups of 100 workers. Transfer of lethal doses from donors to recipients was evidenced by significant recipient mortality in 13 out of 15 treatments within 24 days post-exposure. Dosage significantly affected indoxacarb transfer. Higher doses resulted in greater recipient mortality than lower doses. The highest dose tested resulted in 100% death of recipients and donors within 20 days. A dose of 100 ng resulted in recipient mortalities ranging from 68 to 100%, whereas doses less than or equal to 50 ng killed <60% of recipients within 24 days. Donor:recipient ratio also had considerable effect on indoxacarb transfer. At 24 days post-exposure, greater recipient mortalities were observed at ratios greater than or equal to 1:4 at doses greater than or equal to 20 ng, but only at a ratio 1:1 at dose 10 ng. Recipient mortality increased significantly as post-exposure time increased. The higher the doses applied on donors, the shorter were the times required for the onset of recipient mortality to occur and for recipients to reach maximum mortality. Significantly greater recipient mortalities were not observed at doses 20 and 50 ng until more than 20 days post-exposure, indicating a delayed activity of indoxacarb. Possible transfer mechanisms are discussed.